Sixty-seven South Africans have been killed and scores injured in the
collapse of a building in the compound of a Lagos Pentecostal church
last week, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma said.

"This is a particularly difficult time for South Africa. Not in the recent history of our country have we had this largenumber of our people die in one incident outside the country," Zuma said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The whole nation shares the pain of the mothers, fathers, daughters and sons who have lost their loved ones."

The guest house, under construction in the compound belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations, headed by"Prophet" T B Joshua, collapsed on Friday while three extra stories were being added to its existing two floors.

Local emergency services put the total number killed in the collapse in the Ikotun neighbourhood of Lagos at 61 on Tuesday.

There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy in the numbers.